Traditionally, video services provided by telephone companies and cable operators have been distributed over managed access lines where the bandwidth required for a good quality of experience has been provisioned and is suitably robust. However, there are now many types of Internet-connected devices that are capable of high quality video playback. These include, for example, smart TVs, gaming consoles, PCs, laptops, tablets, smartphones, Blu-ray devices, and the like. These devices are typically connected to un-managed access networks such as 3G, home networks, and WiFi hot spots.
Additionally, video content providers are increasingly making their content available directly on the Internet via services such as Hulu™. Delivery of these services is typically handled by Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) that deliver the content over the top of operator networks, thus leading to the description “OTT video services”. Although CDNs optimize delivery over the transit network, these services are all affected by varying degrees of congestion when they reach the local operator's network.
However, demand from consumers to watch video anytime, anywhere has lead to an urgent requirement for operators and CDNs to be able to deliver video services to these devices with high quality. For this purpose, a number of leading companies have developed HTTP Adaptive Streaming technologies, including Microsoft® Smooth Streaming, Apple® HLT, MPEG-DASH, and the like.
HTTP Adaptive Streaming is a bandwidth intensive application in which small sections of a video are delivered over a standard http connection. Adaptive streaming allows clients to select video content with a bitrate appropriate to their available bandwidth. Adaptive streaming gives clients the power to get the best video content the network is capable of delivering. However, due to factors such as client buffering and variances in device resolutions and source resolutions, HTTP Adaptive Streaming puts a strain on the network. As HTTP Adaptive Streaming Servers (HASS) become more involved with managing their own bandwidth usage, a need has arisen to enable OTT operators (such as Netflix® or Hulu®) and customers to tailor their bandwidth usage to optimize savings and quality of service.